Title page for ETD etd-10072007-130430

A Pedagogical Analysis of Selected Pieces from Albumblätter, Op. 124, By Robert Schumann

Degree

Doctor of Musical Arts (D.M.A.)

Department

Music

Advisory Committee

Advisor Name

Title

Michael Gurt

Committee Chair

Herndon Spillman

Committee Member

Victoria Johnson

Committee Member

Willis Delony

Committee Member

Jack Yeager

Dean's Representative

Keywords

piano pedagogy

Albumleaves

piano literature

Date of Defense

2007-09-19

Availability

unrestricted

Abstract

Robert Schumann composed numerous pieces that are accessible to the intermediate piano student. In addition to his well-known Album für die Jugend, Op. 68, certain pieces from the Albumblätter, Op. 124 also provide excellent pedagogical material. Albumblätter is one of the last collections published during the composer’s life. The collection contains works written as early as 1832 and as late as 1845, spanning much of Schumann’s creative lifetime. He discarded several of the compositions from earlier sets, such as Carnaval Op. 9 and Kinderscenen Op. 15. Others were composed for a projected collection, XII Burle, which Schumann later abandoned. He wrote the remaining selections to commemorate specific occasions in his life, or to reflect the influence of prominent composers such as Ludwig van Beethoven, Franz Schubert, and Johann Sebastian Bach.

The purpose of this study is to provide an analysis for teaching and performing the selected pieces from the Albumblätter. Additionally, it will inform educators about the background and history of this little-known collection. Chapter One includes an introduction along with justification for the study. Chapter Two provides an historical overview of the Albumblätter. Chapter Three contains a thorough pedagogical analysis of the eleven selected pieces.